


15 Hours, 43 Minutes

by nowthatwecandoanythingwhatwillwedonow



Series: Rejected Cold Opens [1]
Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Gen, Jim Letting Pam Down, Jim Letting The Whole Team Down, Jim and Dwight Getting Along, Pranks, Screenplay/Script Format, Yes I'm Writing Office Fanfic in 2020 Wanna Fight About It?, cold open
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26581024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowthatwecandoanythingwhatwillwedonow/pseuds/nowthatwecandoanythingwhatwillwedonow
Summary: "About five weeks after Jim started at Dunder Mifflin, he and Dwight went 15 hours and 42 minutes of work time without fighting. We haven’t come within a full workday of that record since… until now."(A cold open circa S4)
Relationships: Pam Beesly/Jim Halpert
Series: Rejected Cold Opens [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933483
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	15 Hours, 43 Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been thinking about writing a collection of moments of friendship between Jam and Dwight, and this popped into my head. Hope you enjoy.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Guess what, I have flaws. What are they? Oh, I don’t know. I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I’ll write stories with publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. that I do not own and am not associated with the owners, creators or producers of, even though I do not intend any copyright infringement. So sue me… no, DON’T sue me. That is the opposite of the point that I’m trying to make.

INT: THE BULLPEN

_We open on JIM AND DWIGHT’S DESK CLUSTER, where… nothing’s happening. JIM is working, for a refreshing change of pace, filling in the blanks of a stack of paperwork by hand. DWIGHT is typing, occasionally pausing to refer to a price list on his desk next to his computer. Truly, this is the laugh-a-minute comedy genius that has millions obsessed with The Office._

_Pan to RECEPTION, where PAM is monitoring this non-activity with the unblinking intensity and fascination you’d normally associate with someone watching the series finale of a beloved TV show or the last seconds of a championship game. The phone rings._

PAM ( _without breaking eye contact with the DESK CLUSTER_ ):  
Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam. (pause) Yes, I’ll put you right through to him.  
 _  
She transfers the call and hangs up, all without looking at her phone._

_Pan back to the DESK CLUSTER, where JIM’S pencil breaks. He sighs, and reaches over to DWIGHT’S pencil cup for a replacement._  
  
PAM ( _offscreen_ ):  
( _audibly gasps_ )

_DWIGHT looks over at JIM._

JIM ( _gestures with pencil_ )  
Mine broke. You mind?  
  
DWIGHT (returns attention to his computer):  
Not as long as you are using my writing implements for official Dunder Mifflin business only.

JIM:  
Yup. Just getting a jump on my expense reports.

DWIGHT ( _a little too casually to actually come off casual_ ):  
I’m sure A… accounting will appreciate your timeliness in this matter, Jim.

_DWIGHT quickly glances at the camera to see if they caught his slip, and JIM and DWIGHT both return to work._

PAM ( _offscreen_ ):  
( _sighs in relief_ )  
  
 _Pan back to RECEPTION,_ _where PAM gives a small but triumphant fist pump and jots something down on a sheet of paper. She looks away from the desk cluster for the first time to check the wall clock. The camera follows to show that it’s 3:03._

PAM ( _initially in voiceover, shift to talking head in the conference room_ ):  
About five weeks after Jim started at Dunder Mifflin, he and Dwight went 15 hours and 42 minutes of work time without fighting. (pause) Dwight had the flu and Jim was trying to prop up his sales numbers for the end of his probationary period, but still. It was a big deal. We haven’t come within a full workday of that record since… until now.

_We return to the DESK CLUSTER, where JIM and DWIGHT continue to grind away without acknowledging each other, and check in on RECEPTION where PAM makes another note on her paper and drums her fingers on the desk nervously, her eyes still glued to the desk cluster. She picks up the phone and drops it back in the cradle without actually answering it._

PAM ( _voiceover_ ):  
( _dramatically_ ) At exactly 3:13 PM Eastern Standard Time today, we will hit the 15 hour, 43 minute mark. Many thought it couldn’t be done.

_A quick shot of PHYLLIS, sneaking a glance at the clock, and then at the desk cluster._

PAM (talking head):  
But I have faith that we’re about to see history made. ( _breaks into a smile, clapping her hands and practically bouncing up and down in her chair_ ) I’m REALLY excited.

_We check in on the clock, which now reads 3:10, and return to the DESK CLUSTER. DWIGHT frowns and leans away from his computer to talk to JIM._

DWIGHT:  
You know, Jim, if you would switch to Faber-Castell pencils like me…  
  
JIM ( _tosses down his pencil, immediately fed up, overlapping lines with DWIGHT_ ):  
I knew you weren’t going to let that go!  
  
DWIGHT:  
…you would see far less breakage, in addition to less smudging…  
  
JIM:  
Could anything possibly matter less than this?  
  
DWIGHT:  
…making your expense reports easier to read and store…

JIM:  
I mean, I guess if anything could, you would have a bizarrely strong opinion about that too…  
  
DWIGHT:  
…and allowing you to function in the workplace without having to beg for assistance from better-prepared co-workers…

PAM ( _off-screen_ ):  
OH, COME ON!  
  
 _DWIGHT and JIM stop bickering and join the camera in looking over at PAM in surprise. Quick pan to RECEPTION, where PAM angrily makes a mark across her tracking paper and throws her pencil in disgust, and then storms off towards the BREAK ROOM._

PAM ( _to herself_ ):  
Unbelievable.

_DWIGHT and JIM exchange a “what the hell was that” glance._

DWIGHT:  
PMS, perhaps? It’s a little early for her cycle, but not impossibly so.

JIM ( _well, that moment’s over_ ):  
First of all, that’s not… seriously, as assistant regional manager, I am telling you to stop tracking your co-workers’ menstrual cycles. Even for you, it’s just incredibly creepy.

_JIM stands and looks in the direction of the BREAK ROOM, then crosses to RECEPTION to look for clues, because whatever he was doing can definitely wait until he has figured out and fixed whatever upset PAM. He notices the piece of paper PAM has been making notes on._

DWIGHT:  
I like to be prepared for every eventuality, whether inadvertent transfer of graphite to adjoining sheets or a receptionist who may need to be offered chocolate to send out a fax in a timely manner. It’s called going the extra mile, Jim, and it does not at all surprise me that you would object to it, what with your years-long campaign against workplace efficiency.

_As DWIGHT drones on, we focus on JIM, who picks up the paper and looks over it. His expression changes from classic Jim to dawning horror as we cut to…_

_…the conference room, where PAM and JIM are doing a talking head. PAM is annoyed - crossing her arms, shaking her head and looking pointedly away from JIM. JIM has his head in his hands._

JIM ( _looks up to PAM, appearing genuinely ashamed of himself_ ):  
I am SO sorry.

PAM ( _still refusing to look at him_ ):  
15 hours and 40 minutes, Halpert.

JIM ( _miserably_ ):  
I know.  
  
PAM:  
You couldn’t scramble an egg in the time left on the clock, but you juuuuust couldn’t help yourself, could you?  
  
JIM:  
I just wish I had realized…

PAM ( _offended, turns to him at last_ ):  
Uh… last time we broke the seven-hour mark, I told you about it and you IMMEDIATELY started shooting rubber bands at him, and then gave me a lecture about how you never mention a no-hitter when it’s in progress, which was SUPER condescending of you to assume I didn’t know!  
  
JIM:  
I know, I know. It’s all my fault.

PAM:  
“I’ll keep that in mind!” That’s all you had to say! ( _PAM sighs, looks away as Jim’s face somehow falls even further._ ) I just feel like it’s not gonna happen in my lifetime, you know? I mean… we were THAT close.  
  
 _There is a commotion and JIM and PAM look up as the camera shifts to the conference room door, where OSCAR and KEVIN have barged in. OSCAR looks angry. KEVIN just looks sad._

OSCAR ( _slightly quieter, as if the boom mike isn’t quite picking him up_ ):  
Really, Jim? 15 hours, 40 minutes? Really?  
  
KEVIN ( _shakes his head_ ): _  
_Duuuuuuude.

OSCAR:  
So disappointed in you.

_OSCAR and KEVIN exit. The camera pans back to JIM and PAM._

PAM ( _gestures towards the door, turning back towards JIM_ ):  
See, Jim? You let the whole team down.  
  
JIM (buries his face in his hands once more):  
It’s the free throws at the state semi-finals all over again.

**NETWORK** **NOTES: **REJECTED. Think we can do better here. Kinda stretches plausibility Dwight and Jim would get along for this long, doesn’t it?


End file.
